Film depicting transgender love affair to be screened in Pakistan
A Pakistani film portraying romance between a married man and a transgender woman was cleared for domestic screenings on Wednesday, officials said, reversing a government ban forced by Islamist pressure.
Lauded by critics, awarded the jury prize at Cannes and nominated as Pakistan’s entry for next year’s Academy Awards, Joyland was set to open in cinemas across the country this Friday.
But, following objections from Islamist hardliners, Pakistan’s information ministry stepped in last week to issue a veto declaring the film “repugnant to the norms of decency and morality” and ordering a review by censors.
However, Muhammad Tahir Hassan, the head of the Central Board of Film Censors, told AFP late on Wednesday that “there is no hindrance from the board for its screening”.
“The distributors can screen the film from tomorrow morning if they wish,” he added.
In ultra-conservative Pakistan, the rights of the transgender community are ostensibly enshrined in law.
However, due to social stigma, most transgender citizens are forced to live on the fringes of society, often resorting to begging, dancing at weddings or sex work for survival.
Meanwhile, the slim protections they do enjoy as a result of legislation seeking to end discrimination in education and the workplace are being challenged by Islamist parties.
Transgender activists rallied around the cause of the film on social media following news of the ban.
Rights group Amnesty International said it was part of a “deeprooted and persistent pushback to ensuring their equal place in society”.